While waterways and inland ports have contributed to the development of cities, since 1945 they have respectively known a traffic decrease and a progressive disconnection from the urban area. Actual freight production and distribution use road-only mode, but European, national and metropolitan transport policies encourage more sustainable mode of transport. Although the Ile-de-France region is disadvantaged in terms of infrastructure and maritime ports opportunities facing the countries of Northern Europe, Seine river traffic is growing. A large river metropolis and a set of inland ports may explain this feature. This doctoral thesis aims to identify how river ports have followed a different organization from other European territories, due to the presence of Paris. It is therefore useful to use both statistical analysis of port traffic and interviews with Port Authority and metropolitan actors, to identify contradictions in their expectations and their respective approaches. The results highlight an adaptation of inland port to the needs of the metropolis, through traffic specialization and networking, in order to justify their presence in urban areas. Hence, the Port Authority Ports de Paris has developed a policy planning to ensure urban integration of its inland ports. However, lack of coordination and understanding between Port Authority and urban actors are the main obstacles to the acceptability of inland ports in metropolitan areas
